|
|
by Graeme Moffatt <gmoffatt@i4free.co.nz>
Watching the 1984 Super Bowl,
American football fans witnessed the launch of a new computer that would
revolutionise the way society developed. In a 45-second advertisement,
Apple Computer introduced the Macintosh, a computer we have grown to
either love or despise. In the advert, a brightly attired female athlete
runs into a hall filled with grey suited males and smashes a large screen
projecting the image of an autocratic Big Brother.
In December, 1983, Apple Computers ran its' famous "1984"
Macintosh television commercial, on a small unknown station solely to
make the commercial eligible for awards during 1984. The commercial
cost US$1.5 million and only ran once in 1983, but news and talk shows
everywhere replayed it, making TV history. The next month, Apple Computer
ran the same ad during the NFL Super Bowl, and millions of viewers saw
their first glimpse of the Macintosh computer. The commercial was directed
by Ridley Scott, and the Orwellian scene depicted the IBM world being
destroyed by a new machine, the "Macintosh."
This advert took its inspiration from George Orwells book “1984”
to reinforce its message. The full text of the advert was “Today,
we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification
Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden
of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests
of contradictory and confusing truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is
more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people,
with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves
to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!
On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll
see why 1984 wont be like 1984.”
Jon Fortt of the Mercury News stated on the 18th January this year,
"It changed computing as we knew it. Twenty years ago, Apple Computer
heaved a sledgehammer into the face of the establishment with its revolutionary
Macintosh. It gave birth to our culture of pointing and clicking, desktop
icons, and dragging files to the trash. Later the Mac would bring CD
drives, candy-colored cases and wireless networking. But when it first
said hello in 1984, it was as if all of Silicon Valley's technical brilliance
and all of its verve had been captured in one plucky beige box."
<http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/7739751.htm>.
The Apple Macintosh (128k) features an 8 MHz 68000 processor, 128k of
RAM, and a 400k disk drive in a beige all-in-one case with a 9"
monochrome display. The Macintosh (128k) was the first relatively inexpensive
computer to use a graphical user interface, 3.5" disks, a consistent
look-and-feel among applications, and true WYSIWYG printing, all of
which are taken for granted today. This computer started a different
way of thinking, allowing the user to concentrate on working rather
than struggling to get the computer to work. Further details of the
history of the Macintosh and other aspects of Apple Computer can be
found on the following sites. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blapplecomputer.htm>,
<http://www.apple-history.com>, <http://apple2history.org/history/ah08.html>.
A full report on the first Macintosh first published by the Mercury
News in January 1984 and reprinted on the 16th January this year can
be found at <http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/7739751.htm>.
The original advert has had a makeover by Apple and was played by Steve
Jobs at his MacWorld Keynote address on the 7th January. Apple has kitted
out the female athlete with an iPod which swings from around her neck
as she runs through the hall carrying the sledge hammer. This advert
can be downloaded from <http://www.apple.com/hardware/ads/1984/>.
|
|
